Folding stool



(No Model.)

A. B. HARNISH.

FOLDING STOOL. No. 318,110. Patented'May 19, 1885.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICF.

AMOS B. HARNISH, OF MEDWAY, OHIO.

FOLDING STOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,110, dated May 19,1885.

Application filed June 6, 1884. (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMos B. HARNISH, of Medway, in Clark county, in theState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in FoldingStools or Tables; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fulland accurate description of the same.

My invention is especially adapted for use as a pedestal to support acoffin, with a folding leaf to support floral offerings or otherobjects, as may be required, though it may be made of sufficient size tobe adapted to the general purposes of small tables which are intendedfor occasional use, and therefore may conveniently be made to fold intosmaller space for convenience of storage when out of use.

I am aware that tables have been heretofore made with stationary andfolding feet or legs hinged to the stationary legs or to the frame bywhich they are supported, and therefore I do not claim, broadly, a tableor stool with stationary and folding feet; but I am not aware that anytable or stool with stationary and folding feet has ever been providedwith a double crank-rod and links connecting said cranks with said legs,respectively, for the purpose of simultaneously opening and closing saidfolding legs, nor that said controllingrod has been provided with meansfor locking the same in position, either open or closed.

That others may fully understand my improvement, I will particularlydescribe it, having reference to the accompanying drawlngs.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the-operative mechanism in position, but de-- tachedfrom the table. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the mechanism for moving theswinging legs.

A is the frame of the table or stool prolonged downward to constitutethe feet or legs a. This frame and the feet or legs may, of course, bemade in a great variety of ways to suit the fancy or the purposes of theuser. The legs B B are attached to the side of the frame A by the hingesD, with vertical axis, so as to swing around against the side of saidframe, and, if the legs and feet are of the same pattern, so that theywill all conform to the same outline. If the stool is intended for thepurposes of a coffin -pedestal, I prefer to attach to the top of theframe A a cross-bar, C, with hand-hole d at its middle, for convenienceof carriage in the hand; but this is an arbitrary matter and may bearranged as desired. A rod, E, is placed within the frame A, and isprovided with bearing-plates H h, which are secured to the top andbottom of said frame,

' respectively. A cross-plate or double crank,

F, is attached to the bottom of said rod E, and at its ends said crank Fis attached to the swinging legs 13 B, respectively, by the links G G,so that as said rod is rotated said legs are caused to swing outwardinto position or inward to fold against the stationary legs A.

The joint-plates I I are fastened to the swinging legs respectively. Therod E has a square, J, and the bearing-plate H has a correspondingsquare socket, so that when said square is within said socket the rodcannot be rotated, and the legs B will be locked and held in position,whether the same be open or closed. I find it convenient to attach thedouble crank-plate F to the rod E by means of an angular portion on thefoot of said rod fitting and sliding in a corresponding holein saidcrank-plate, so that as the rod is moved endwise to lock or unlock inthe plateHthe crankplate may not be affected. A retaining-plate,K,prevents the falling away of the crank-plate. The rod E is providedwith a cross-bar handpiece, L, for convenience in managing the rod E,and for convenience said hand-bar is located in a recess below the bar0. A leaf, M, is attached to the side of the cross-bar 0, so that it maybe raised to a horizontal position or per mitted to drop by the side ofthe folded leg.

The leaf M is supported by abrace, N, hinged at its ends to the leaf andto the frame A, respectively, and at its middle, or thereabout, saidbrace is divided and j oined with aknucklejoint, P,which moves upwardwhen the leaf is lowered, and is therefore kept in proper engagement andposition by gravity when the leaf is raised. The leaf M is raised tosupport floral offerings when the device is employed as acoffin-pedestal or as a tableleaf for other purposes.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A folding tablewith two stationary legs and two movable legs hinged to the former, so

as to fold in opposite directions to and by the sides of said stationarylegs, combined with a rod, E, mounted to turn in bearings attached tothe stationary legs and provided with the crank-plate F and links G G,jointed to said crank-plate and tothe movable legs at the respectiveends of said links, as set f0rth,whereby the said legs may besimultaneously moved by turning said rod.

2. The stationary legs A and the movable legs B B, hinged thereto,combined with the links G G, each jointed at one end to one of themovable legs, the crank-plate F, jointed at its ends to the other endsof said links, respectively, and the rod E,with a sliding connection atits lower end with the plate F, and a looking-plate for locking said rodin position, substantially as set forth.

3. The frame A,with the legs a, the movable legs B, hinged thereto so asto swing around and fold against the permanent legs, the links G G, andthe crank-plate F, combined with the rod E, having a sliding connectionwith said orank-plate and the squared or angular part J, and thecorrespondingly-socketed plate H, substantially as set forth.

4. The frame A and legs a, the hinged legs B, the rod E, with thecrank-plate F and links G, and the locking-plate H, for locking saidrod, crank,and legs in place, combined with the bar 0 across the top,and the falling leaf M, hinged thereto, and the jointed prop N.

AMOS B. HARNISH.

In presence of- WILLIAM VVIsE, WILLIS WISE.

